Process of ornamenting material



Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,078,008 PROCESS or ORNAMENTING MATERIAL No Drawing. Application June 17, 1935, Serial No. 26,934

Claims.

My invention relates to a novel process of giving to one or both surfaces of sheets or other articles an, ornamental or finishing surface .coat of material having an appearance different from 5 that of the material of the article itself.

I find that by employing my novel process very beautiful and unusual effects may be obtained by applying to the surface of such articles, for instance, sheets, tooth brush handles, knobs or spools, a thin coating of a suitable finishing liquid which may be of the same or of a different general appearance than that of the base material employed. For instance, the base material may be transparent and covered with an opaque or translucent colored coating on one or both faces, the edges being left exposed and uncoated, or a colored transparent base may be employed and covered with a transparent coating of a different color, or the coating may contain an orientable substance such as pearl essence by which an iridescent appearance is given to the article.

In practicing my invention the coating or coating liquid is composedv of a suitable carrier liquid which is conveniently a transparent or opaque lacquer in which is incorporated the desired coloring or ornamenting material. This material may be distributed uniformly or unevenly in the coating mixture according to the effect required. If desired two or more colors, or materials may be employed to produce a mottled or variegated effect. A small amount of the prepared coating liquid is poured. onto the surface of a bath of liquid on which the coating liquid will float. The bath on which the coating liquid is floated is of some liquid which is not a solvent for the base material of the carrier, although it may be miscible with one or more of the solvents used to make up the carrier liquid. For ordinary purposes water is satisfactory. The coating mixture 40 spreads itself over the surface of the bath and forms a thin film. Before applying the article to be coated, I allow a part of the solvent contained in the coating liquid to evaporate so that the film is hardened somewhat. This film which is thus formed on the surface of the bath is tougher and stronger than the film before evaporating; it is also elastic and is less likely to be ruptured or injured during its transfer to the sheet or article to be ornamented thereby. The

thickness of the film can be varied by the amount of the coating mixture on the bath and by the amount of solids contained in it.

Preferably, but not necessarily, I also activate or soften the surface of the article to be coated I by the application of a small quantity of suitable solvent. This is conveniently done by spraying or fuming the articles just before they are brought in contact with the coating mixture. The article to be coated is then brought gently in contact with the coating mixture and the coating will 5 be found to adhere smoothly and firmly to it.

- The article is then dried.

vent from the coating liquid after it has been 15 formed into a film on the surface of the bath and also by activating or softening the surface of the article to be coated. This procedure eliminates the trouble heretofore experienced with air bubbles and roughness and produces a coating having 20 a more attractive appearance.

In preparing sheets, for instance of cellulose plastic, in accordance with the process described herein, I proceed as follows:

The coating liquid is prepared by mixing a suit- 25 able liquid coating, as for example a solution of a synthetic resin or cellulose ester in a suitable solvent, with whatever coloring material is to be employed. A sufficient quantity of this mixture is poured on the surface of a bath of water to 30 form a thin film thereon, and a certain amount of the solvent is allowed to evaporate so that the surface of the film of liquid coating on the bath will harden slightly. This evaporation may be stimulated by blowing warm air on the surface or 35 even by warming the bath. The sheet to be coat- 1 ed is preferably prepared by having its surface or surfaces softened or activated by the application of a suitable solvent or mixture of solvents and non-solvents. If the sheet is of pyroxylin a sult- 40 able solvent is butyl acetate which may be applied either by spraying or dipping. The sheet thus prepared is then brought into contact with the film of coating mixture on the surface of the bath, and then the layer of coating mixture is picked 45 up by the sheet and adheres strongly thereto. Thereafter the sheet is dried in the ordinary manner. After this, it may be worked up in accordance with the methods ordinarily employed in the manufacture of articles from sheet stock. 50

If it is desired to coat the two sidesof the sheet simultaneously, this can bedone by arranging to pass the sheet through the film as it floats on the bath, and out of the bath at a place where the bath is uncoated by a film of 55 layer Under such conditions a the coating liquid is flowed side of the sheet to be the subject matter of it is not claimed the coating material. continuous supply of onto the bath on each coated. As this .forms another patent application herein.

WhileI have described my process as applied to the manufacture of sheets, I have done so merely by way of illustration and not as a limitation. My process is also applicable to the manufacture of many articles of varying shapes, since the film formed on the bath is strong and tough, yet is elastic enough so that it readily adapts itself to the surface of the article even if the surface be irregular.

When objects of other forms than sheets are to be coated, it is desirable not to remove too much of the solvent from the layer of coating material on the bath as it is desirable that this should be flexible to enable it to conform to the shape of the article to be coated. Under these conditions less solvent is required to activate the coating since there is more solvent left in the coating film as it floats on the bath I claim:

l. The process of. coating articles including sheets which consists in preparing a suitablei coating liquid containing a solvent, forming from said coating liquid a film floating on a bath of another liquid which is not a solvent for the base material of the coating liquid, allowing the floating film to harden sufficient to toughen and render the same flexible and self-conformable to a surface brought in contact therewith by the evaporation of solvent, softening the surface of the article to be coated, and finally bringing the article to be coated into contact with the floating film.

2. The process of coating articles including sheets, which consists in preparing a suitable coating liquid containing a solvent, floating the coating liquid on a bath of liquid to form a thin film, allowing the film to harden suflicient to toughen and render the same flexible and selfconformable to a surface brought in contact therewith by the evaporation of solvent, softening the surface of the article to be coated by applying solvent to it and finally bringing the article to be coated in contact with the floating film.

3. The process of coating articles including sheets, which consists in preparing a suitable coating liquid containing a solvent, floating the coating liquid on a bath of water to form a thin film, allowing the film to harden sufllcient to toughen and render the same flexible and selfconformable to a surface brought in contact therewith by the evaporation of solvent, softening the surface of the article to be coated and finally bringing the article in contact with the floating fllm.

4. The process of coating articles including sheets, which consists in preparing a suitable coating liquid containing a solvent, floating the coating liquid on a bath of water to form a thin film, allowing the toughen and render the same flexible and self conformable to a surface brought in contact therewith by the evaporation of solvent, softening the surface of the article to be coated by applying solvent to it and finally bringing the article in contact with the floating film.

5. The process of coating articles including sheets which consists in preparing a suitable coating liquid containing a volatile solvent, floating.

the coating liquid on a bath of another liquid which is not a solvent for the base material of the coating liquid to form a thin film, partially removing volatile solvent from the coating liquid film in amount suflicient to toughen and render the same flexible and self-conformable to a surface brought in contact with the film, and finally bringing the articles to be coated into contact with the film.

JACOB LURIE.

film to harden sufllcient to 

